This about the stage musical. For the film, see Mary Poppins (1964 film).
Mary Poppins.
Mary Poppins is a stage musical based on the book series by P.L. Travers and the accompanying film.
Cast[]
- Laura Michelle Kelly - Mary Poppins
- Gavin Lee - Bert
- David Haig - George Banks
- Linzi Hateley - Winifred Banks
- Charlotte Spencer - Jane Banks
- Harry Stott - Michael Banks
- Rosemary Ashe - Miss Andrew
- Jenny Galloway - Mrs. Brill
- Julia Sutton - Bird Woman
- Kevin Williams - Park Keeper/Mr Punch
- Gerard Carey - Robertson Ay
- Ian Burford - Admiral Boom/Bank Manager
- Stuart Neal - Neleus
- Alan Vicary - Von Hussler/Jack-In-The-Box
- Nathan Taylor - Northbrook/Valentine
- Melanie La Barrie - Mrs. Corry
- Poppy Tierney - Annie/Doll
- Savannah Stevenson - Fannie
- Terel Nugent - William
Plot[]
Bert, a man of many professions, introduces the audience to Cherry Tree Lane. Number 17 is where the Banks family lives: George and Winifred Banks, their two naughty children Jane and Michael, their cook, Mrs. Brill and their odd-job man, Robertson Ay. Things are not going well for Jane and Michael.They are out of control and as the show starts, their latest nanny, Katie Nanna, storms out. After that, Mrs. Brill and Robertson Ay complain about living in a "madhouse." The children decide to write the advertisement for a new nanny, but George Banks has a very different idea of what constitutes the perfect nanny and he tears up the piece of paper and throws it in the fireplace. Within moments Mary Poppins arrives and takes charge of the Banks children, having every confidence in her own qualifications and merits.
On the children's first outing to the park, they meet Bert and, despite their reservations about his ragged clothes and dirty face, Mary teaches them that they must learn to look past appearances. To illustrate the point, Mary brings the park statues, including a mythological figure named Neleus, to life.
While Mary manages the children, other problems lie with their parents. Winifred Banks is aware that she is somehow disappointing both her children and her husband. George Banks, on the other hand, can't understand why she finds the role of wife and mother so difficult. In an effort to please her husband, Winifred sends out invitations for a smart tea party. Mrs. Brill makes the preparations, while telling an eager Robertson Ay to keep his hands off. The children inadvertently sabotage the kitchen preparations, but Mary Poppins sorts it out with a lesson. However, it is then revealed that none of the invitees are coming.
Mary takes the children to visit their father at the bank where he works. There George is busy dealing with possible investment clients: first an ambitious man named Von Hussler who has an elaborate money-making scheme, and then a middle-class man named Northbrook who has a simple factory project. George is furious when Mary turns up with the children, but an innocent question asked by Jane (What's more important, a good man or a good idea?) makes him realise how much his values have changed since he was an idealistic young man. He then decides to accept Northbrook's project, and rejects Von Hussler's, but unfortunately things take a turn for the worse afterwards. Outside St. Paul's Cathedral, Mary introduces the children to the Bird Woman. Jane is suspicious of her, but Michael responds to the Bird Woman and throws crumbs for the birds. On the trip home, the children meet the enigmatic Mrs. Corry who runs a magic sweet shop that also sells words.
The children return home in high spirits, unaware that things have gone wrong for their father. Unknown to them, George's decision to reject Von Hussler has cost the bank dearly, and he is suspended without pay. George explodes with rage at the children and they are sent to the nursery. Reacting to her father's outburst, Jane flies into a fury, ignoring Mary Poppins' words of warning about controlling her temper, and also has a fight with Michael over a doll. The frightening consequence of her anger becomes apparent as Jane and Michael's toys come to life and join Mary in teaching them a lesson in how to take better care of their belongings and toys. Realising that Jane and Michael still have a lot to learn, Mary decides to leave Cherry Tree Lane, to bring them to their senses. Her distraught charges find a note saying that perhaps they will see Mary Poppins again eventually.
Unfortunately, in a misguided attempt to please her husband, Mrs Banks arranges for his childhood nanny, Miss Andrew, to take over from the suddenly departed Mary. At the very sight of her, a terrified Mr. Banks flees, exclaiming "the Holy Terror!" To everyone's shock and dismay, Miss Andrew is a brutal and cruel tyrant, rejecting any notion of a "spoonful of sugar" in favour of her own terrible elixir.
Terrified of their new nanny, the children escape to the park and find their good friend Bert, who cheers them up and helps Michael fulfil his dream of flying a kite. This marks the return of Mary Poppins. Jane and Michael are thrilled to be reunited with her, and then quickly tell her of the changes that have gone on at Number 17. Also hiding in the park is George, who is depressed over his supposed lack of achievements. Searching for him is Winifred, who at last understands her husband and the damage that was done to him by Miss Andrew.
When the children return to Number 17, Mary sets Caruso, Miss Andrew's lark, free from his cage. This leads to confrontation between the two nannies, ending with Miss Andrew having a taste of her own medicine as she is put in a large birdcage and vanishes down below. Winifred and then George return at this point, surprised but pleased that Miss Andrew has "left".
On their next adventure, Bert introduces the children to his friends the chimney sweeps. The sweeps' dance eventually enters the house, causing chaos. As the sweeps quickly exit, George receives a telegram from the bank requesting his presence there. George assumes that it is to seal his fate, and decides it's time to sell the family heirloom. However, the vase is shattered accidentally by Mrs. Brill, who goes into a despairing shock since she had been cleaning it from the top of the shelf. When she is being led away for comfort, George goes to clean the broken pile himself, to find it reveal a collection of gingerbread stars from his childhood. This leads to a brief moment of reflection for George. After shaking hands with Bert, George leaves to meet the Chairman of the Bank.
At the children's encouragement, Winifred decides to follow her heart and be at George's side at the bank. Unseen to anyone else, Mary takes Jane and Michael to follow, where they watch the unfolding events.
At the bank, George is shocked to learn the truth about his choice: far from ruining the bank, he has made a fortune. They ask for the word that made them so successful, which George admits to be Mary Poppins' word, "Supercalafragilisticexpialidocious". Winifred, arriving to defend her husband, finds instead he is the hero of the hour. After she mentions Miss Andrew's name to the Bank Manager, the old man too exclaims "the Holy Terror," which hints that he too might have suffered under the wicked nanny. George apologizes for underestimating her, and together they return to the house.
Mary realizes that with the family reunited and happy, her task is done. With regret she says goodbye to Bert with a kiss, and sets off. Jane and Michael accept that Mary is leaving them and they tell Mary Poppins that they'll never forget her. The two children watch as their parents waltz happily together and Mary flies high above the audience, disappearing in a flash.
Musical numbers[]
- Act I
- Chim Chim Cher-ee (Opening) - Bert
- Cherry Tree Lane Part 1 - George and Winifred Banks, Jane and Michael, Mrs. Brill, and Robertson Ay
- The Perfect Nanny - Jane and Michael
- Cherry Tree Lane Part 2 - George and Winifred Banks, Jane and Michael, Mrs. Brill, and Robertson Ay
- Practically Perfect - Mary Poppins, Jane, and Michael
- Chim Chim Cher-ee (reprise) - Bert
- Jolly Holiday - Bert, Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, Neleus, and the Statues
- Cherry Tree Lane (Reprise) / Being Mrs Banks / Jolly Holiday (Reprise) - George, Winifred, Jane, and Michael
- A Spoonful of Sugar - Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, Robertson Ay, and Winifred
- Precision and Order - Bank Chairman, Mr. Von Hussler, Mr Northbrook, George Banks and Bank Clerks
- Feed the Birds - Bird Woman and Mary Poppins
- Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - Mary Poppins, Mrs. Corry, Bert, Jane, Michael, Fannie, Annie, and Customers
- Chim Chim Cher-ee (second reprise) - Bert and Mary Poppins
- Temper, Temper (2004-2009) Playing the Game (2009–present)^ - Valentine, William, Mr. Punch, the Glamorous Doll, and other Toys
- Chim Chim Cher-ee (reprise) - Bert and Mary Poppins
- Act II
- Cherry Tree Lane (Reprise) - Mrs. Brill, Michael, Jane, Winifred, Robertson Ay, and George
- Brimstone and Treacle Part 1 - Miss Andrew
- Let's Go Fly a Kite - Bert, Park Keeper, Jane, and Michael
- Good for Nothing - George
- Being Mrs Banks (Reprise) - Winifred
- Brimstone and Treacle Part 2 - Mary Poppins and Miss Andrew
- Practically Perfect (Reprise) - Jane, Michael, and Mary Poppins
- Chim Chim Cher-ee (third reprise) - Bert
- Step in Time - Bert, Mary Poppins, Jane, Michael, and the Sweeps
- A Man Has Dreams - George and Bert
- Anything Can Happen - Jane, Michael, Mary Poppins, and the Company
- A Spoonful of Sugar (Farewell Reprise) / A Shooting Star - Mary Poppins and Orchestra